Acquisition of Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of Shallow Groundwater Movement Based on Long-Term Temperature Time Series in the Kangding Area, Eastern Tibetan Plateau

Heat has been widely used as a groundwater tracer to determine groundwater flow direction and velocity in a way that is ubiquitous, low-cost, environmentally friendly, and easy to use. However, temperature observations are generally short-term and small-scale, meaning they may not be able to reflect long-term changes in the characteristics of groundwater movement. In this study, we utilize 515 days of temperature data, collected from four measurement points in the Kangding area of the eastern Tibetan Plateau, in order to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of groundwater flow velocities using different analytical heat tracing methods. An analysis is conducted to evaluate the impact of thermal parameter uncertainties on the calculation of flow velocity, and a comparison is undertaken between the results of the phase, amplitude, and combined amplitude-phase methods. We subsequently discuss the relationship between flow velocity changes and precipitation. The results show that the estimated flow velocity is more susceptible to the volumetric heat capacity of the saturated sediment than it is to thermal conductivity. The phase method is more suitable for use in calculations in the study area, indicating that precipitation significantly impacts the flow velocity and that this impact is more pronounced in areas with flat terrain compared to areas with significant variation in elevation. Our research provides a comparative study of the heat tracing methods in areas with varied terrains and offers new evidence for the impact of precipitation and topography on groundwater infiltration.

Automated summary

This study uses 515 days of temperature data from four measurement points in the Kangding area of the eastern Tibetan Plateau to determine the spatial-temporal distribution of groundwater flow velocities using different heat tracing methods. The impact of thermal parameter uncertainties on flow velocity calculation is evaluated, and a comparison is made between phase, amplitude, and combined amplitude-phase methods. The results show that flow velocity is more affected by volumetric heat capacity than thermal conductivity, and the phase method is more suitable for calculations in the study area, with precipitation significantly impacting flow velocity, especially in areas with varied elevation.